What is Community? We hear a lot about communities – local, national, and international communities. Community is part of modern life in the 21st century. Communities are composed of people who share common interests or goals and often identify with one another through social interactions. We live in a global community because it’s how we work more efficiently, connect more conveniently, and benefit from the synergy of collaborating. Yet, there’s more to a community than that.
A Basic Human Need – Community
Humans need a community. It’s in our nature to live in groups, to have meaningful connections. Communities are at the core of who we’re and where we feel at home, no matter what we do.
We, humans, are social creatures.
We need communities, we need meaningful connections, we need to give and take. And even though today we can say that it’s possible to live completely in “social isolation” in front of a computer, we’re still part of a community, whether online or offline.
The Feeling we’re not being alone is essential for our mental wellbeing.
The Importance of Communities in The 21st Century
Community is important. It’s so important, in fact, that our world seems to have changed to put it front and center.
Every day, events are organized and held that bring together different people with different interests.
Online forums and groups dedicated to a particular topic have never been more prevalent, and social media has allowed us all to connect with each other on a level that’s unprecedented in human history.
The Internet has transcended geographical boundaries, bringing together people and dynamic communities with shared goals or interests.
Whether we’re discussing our preferences for cars, food, or even the right software, we can now do so with people who live thousands of miles away – as if they were our closest neighbors!
10 Reasons Why it’s So Important to Be Part of a Community
1. Community Interest
A community is a group of people with common interests or shared goals.
It’s an organized group that meets regularly at specific locations to share socially, support each other through challenges, engage in a community activity, form valuable relationships with people who share common interests or avoid social isolation.
Maybe you have a special interest in a book series, a charity, a sport, or even a TV show.
There’s probably a Reddit page for what you’re interested in or a Facebook group where you can share about your passion. And if you can’t find it offline or online, you can start it.
In 2013, for example, I was interested in art and social issues. I couldn’t find a community that combined the two, so I founded the online community World Citizen Artists, which has 150,000 followers on social media and a team of passionate volunteers with whom we share a common goal: to raise awareness about social issues through creativity.
We even organize activities and events on topics we think are important to make a positive impact.
Communities give us the opportunity to share ideas and talk about things that may not be in our everyday life.
2. Knowledge
We’re all rich in knowledge and sometimes it’s hard to share it with friends or family. Communities give us the opportunity to do this.
For example, if you’re passionate about natural healing and know a lot about it, you can share your knowledge in a community with people who have the same shared interest or just want to learn more. Your knowledge doesn’t go unused, and others can benefit from it.
There’s a simple reason why sharing knowledge is so important. Knowledge is an important asset in today’s society.
Since we’ve access to vast amounts of information via the Internet, it’s important that we can separate the good from the bad.
You can only do that if you’re part of a community activity where you can share knowledge and learn new things.
3. Education
It’s a great resource for people who’re looking for specific information.
There are many communities that cater to specific interests. If you find one that appeals to you, you can gain a lot of knowledge by reading the posts of other members of the community.
You can even ask your own questions and answer other members’ questions when they ask them.
Maybe you study or work in sales and want to know more about how to deal with customers. Or you want to learn about the history of Venezuela.
If you join like-minded community groups and ask a specific question, a community member will likely give you an answer and even point you to a book or documentary that can educate you about the topic.
4. Inspiration
Inspiration can come from anywhere. There’s a community for almost everything, whether it’s a specific interest, hobby, lifestyle, or even more specific online communities like Reddit, Facebook groups, forums, or offline communities.
Many great ideas have come from casual conversations about a specific topic.
By joining a community on your topic, you can get inspiration from others and benefit from the resources these communities offer.
5. Support
Tough times can hit anyone, and it’s good to know that you don’t have to go through them alone. Support is an important part of a community. It keeps people coming back.
Even if you’re not the type to need the support of those around you, it’s worth thinking about how you want to receive and give support yourself.
Many communities also have tutorials and guides that show you how to do something or solve a problem.
6. Meaningful Relationships
Communities are about giving and taking, and the more you do that, the more you share with others and the more likely you’re to build meaningful relationships.
Meaningful relationships can develop quickly among like-minded people if they share common interests, shared goals, or experiences.
By networking with other community members, you can make new friends, help others or get support, and some people even find job opportunities or clients just by networking in communities.
A healthy community is a place where you can share and build trust.
7. The Sense of Belonging
We’re social creatures, we want to be with like-minded people. We crave interaction with other people and are drawn to communities.
We go to restaurants because of the food and the atmosphere. We go to concerts because of the music, but also because of the community. We join clubs because we want to meet like-minded people.
All of these communities give us a deeper sense of togetherness. A place we can call our own. We belong to them and they’re, in a way, our community.
8. Mental Wellbeing
Everyone is connected to others in some way. The term “community” refers to the relationships we’ve and how we interact with others.
People who feel a sense of belonging to their community are more able to
- reduce the feeling of loneliness
- feel less stress
- have higher self-esteem
- have better mental health
- Have a greater sense of purpose in life (doing more than just earning a living)
Of course, the type of community you belong to can affect your physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Community has been shown to help improve mental health and prevent stress, depression, and anxiety, so choosing your community space carefully is very important to your mental wellbeing.
And once you find a good community, both sides benefit – being a good member of your community can help you, too!
9. Opportunities
A community is made up of people who know and care about each other’s well-being, safety, and happiness.
They work together for a common goal: to improve their own lives and the lives of those around them.
The type of opportunity depends on the situation.
If it’s a work opportunity, you may be able to find a job or volunteer opportunities.
You can also find people who need help fixing their house or doing yard work.
It all depends on the situation, but you can’t expect huge opportunities from a community because the main goal isn’t to “take” or have a high position but to share and help others and make your life better by helping others.
10. Influence
A community gives you the opportunity to influence others.
Through a community, you can directly influence the lives of hundreds or thousands of people. You can raise your voice and share what you think is important.
It’s a necessary part of a society that values individuality and diversity.
Today, there are many types of communities: social media, common interest groups, online forums, and more.
All communities have one thing in common: they’re created by people who have a passion for something and want to connect with others who share similar interests.
Why Do People Become Part of a Community?
The sense of belonging is very strong and there are many reasons why people get involved in communities or groups.
Many people become part of a community because they can’t get help anywhere else.
The only place where they can get exactly the help they need is in the community.
That’s where we find the people who want to do what we want to do or who want to do what we do.
The main reason people join a community is they just want to be connected with other like-minded people and feel that they belong.
When you join a community, you’ve access to resources that give you credibility and authority in that niche.
You gain value by sharing your expertise with others, and in turn, you receive value from other like-minded people by expanding your network.
Why Communities Need Leaders
If you’re wondering if communities need leaders, the answer is yes.
Communities don’t happen on their own, and no matter how open the community is to new people, it needs someone to keep it going.
Leaders don’t always have an official title. Anyone who helps in a community can be considered a leader. But they’ve some authority, power, or influence over others in the community.
Let’s say you’re a regular participant in an online forum that’s many regulars.
You may not be an official leader, but you may act like one because you help keep the community engagement going and everyone gets a chance to speak and no one is left out.
In general, communities need leaders because they provide structure and organization to groups of people working toward shared goals.
The Role of Community Leaders
Leaders set a good example.
They initiate change, develop new ideas, and motivate others to take action.
People look up to leaders and want to be like them. Leaders are inspiring, optimistic, and confident. They know their vision and pursue it with all their might.
For a community to be healthy, everyone must be involved in the community space.
This also applies to community service and giving back to your community.
If everyone doesn’t give of themselves, how can we expect it from the people who really need it? And how can we expect our children to give back to the world if they don’t see their parents doing the same?
When you give back to your community, you aren’t only helping others, you’re helping yourself. It gives you a better feeling about yourself and it helps your relationships with friends and family.
Community service also helps you grow as a human being and gives you a deeper sense of what’s going on in your community.
You’re learning new skills and building new relationships you may not have known you’d. You gain valuable life experience that makes you more successful in all areas of life.
Community involvement can also have a positive impact on relationships in your family. Volunteering teaches your children the importance of giving back and that it’s rewarding. Your kids will learn valuable life lessons through this type of experience that they can’t learn anywhere else.
By volunteering, you teach others the importance of giving back to the world around them, and how beneficial that’s for everyone involved.
The Purpose of Community Engagement
Community building is the process of people getting involved in your community.
It starts with members of your community and consists of convincing them to participate to discussions, contribute, and help each other.
There are many reasons why community engagement is important to a strong community.
A strong community is built on valuable relationships and shared experiences. The more followers from different backgrounds come together and share their knowledge, the better it’s for everyone in the community.
Online vs. Offline Communities
Although an online community can offer us a sense of belonging and easier access to physical communities, there are also some drawbacks to participating in an online community.
One of them might be that you don’t get the same kind of social connection and social interaction that you’d get if you were physically present with other members of the community because it’s harder to interpret nonverbal signals over the Internet.
Another disadvantage might be that you’ve less control over your identity and how you’re perceived in the community because there’s no face-to-face interaction with others.
The main advantage of an online community is that you can communicate with people from all over the world and from all walks of life that you’d not meet in your local community.
Community Quotes
I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.
Mother Teresa
Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much
Helen Keller
Our differences are our strength as a species and as a world community
Nelson Mandela